Occupational Therapist – Acute Care

Vanderbilt University Medical Center • Nashville, TN

3d • Onsite

About The Position

Discover Vanderbilt University Medical Center: Located in Nashville, Tennessee, and operating at a global crossroads of teaching, discovery, and patient care, VUMC is a community of individuals who come to work each day with the simple aim of changing the world. It is a place where your expertise will be valued, your knowledge expanded, and your abilities challenged. Vanderbilt Health is committed to an environment where everyone has the chance to thrive and where your uniqueness is sought and celebrated. It is a place where employees know they are part of something that is bigger than themselves, take exceptional pride in their work and never settle for what was good enough yesterday. Vanderbilt’s mission is to advance health and wellness through preeminent programs in patient care, education, and research. Organization: Acute Rehab PT/OT 3 Job Summary: JOB SUMMARY Provides occupational therapy services to patients who have impairments, developmental disabilities, functional limitations, disabilities, or changes in physical function and health status resulting from injury, disease or other causes with some guidance. Actively collaborates with the health care/educational team to meet patient care, outcomes and system improvement objectives. . Occupational Therapist – Acute Care Inpatient Location: Vanderbilt Health, Nashville, TN Job Type: Full-Time | Hospital-Based Occupational Therapy Elevate Your OT Career at Vanderbilt Health Are you an experienced Occupational Therapist ready to make an impact in an acute care inpatient setting? Join Vanderbilt Health, home to Middle Tennessee’s largest Level 1 trauma center, and work alongside a nationally recognized team delivering exceptional patient care. This is your opportunity to gain unmatched clinical experience across diverse hospital units—including ICUs, surgical floors, and the emergency department—while advancing your career in a collaborative, innovation-driven environment. Why Choose Vanderbilt Health? Day-One Benefits: Medical, dental, vision, and retirement plans start immediately Career Advancement Ladder: Structured growth from OT Level 1 to Level 4 Free Continuing Education: Department-hosted CE courses for all staff Extensive Orientation: 10–12 weeks of onboarding for success across all hospital areas Formal Mentorship Program: Led by our Mentorship Committee for new grads and new hires Collaborative Culture: Join committees shaping care and innovation Nationally Recognized Employer: Magnet-designated hospital known for excellence and patient-centered care Your Impact as an Acute Care OT Deliver evidence-based OT evaluations and interventions across multiple inpatient units Collaborate with interdisciplinary teams to create individualized care plans Educate patients and caregivers on adaptive strategies and functional independence Document outcomes per hospital and regulatory standards Participate in mentorship, quality improvement, and departmental initiatives What We’re Looking For Licensed Occupational Therapist (or eligible for Tennessee licensure) 1 year of acute care experience and strong interdisciplinary collaboration skills Ready to Advance Your OT Career? Join a nationally recognized health system where your skills matter and your growth is supported. Apply today for the Occupational Therapist – Acute Care Inpatient role at Vanderbilt Health in Nashville, TN. Allied health is among the fastest growing occupations in healthcare today. This area can be defined as credentialed professionals who perform supportive, diagnostic, and therapeutic health care services to promote health and prevent disease in a variety of settings. These areas are crucial to Vanderbilt Health’s reputation for excellence in these areas that has made us a major center for patient referrals from throughout the Mid-South. Each year, people throughout Tennessee and the southeast choose Vanderbilt Health for their health care because of our leadership in medical science and our dedication to treating patients with dignity and compassion. PEOPLE ARE AT THE HEART OF ALL WE DO. Our vision: The world leader in advancing personalized health. Our mission: personalizing the patient experience through our caring spirit and distinctive capabilities. Making Health Care Personal. We’re looking for like-minded individuals driven to make a difference. We invite you to explore careers at Vanderbilt University Medical Center. At VUMC, we place a priority on designing with and for our patients and families. We value collaboration, embrace continuous learning and discovery, and seek to be a place where everyone has the chance to thrive. We’re the largest private employer in Middle Tennessee, with a growing team and expanding footprint in towns and communities across the region. We employ more than 28,000 people who work in inpatient and outpatient clinical care, research, and graduate medical education as well as critical supporting roles in administration, information technology and informatics, finance, legal and community affairs, communications and marketing, fund-raising, groundskeeping and facilities, and many more. Our growing health system has more than 1,700 licensed hospital beds at: Vanderbilt University Hospital Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt Vanderbilt Psychiatric Hospital Vanderbilt Stallworth Rehabilitation Hospital Vanderbilt Wilson County Hospital Vanderbilt Bedford Hospital Vanderbilt Tullahoma-Harton Hospital It’s also home to hundreds of outpatient clinic and surgical locations throughout the region. We serve our community with many unique and specialized services including the Level 1 Trauma Center, a highly experienced Transplant Center that does the most heart transplants in the world, a National Cancer Institute-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center, Lung Institute, Burn Center and many more. World-leading academic departments and centers make scientific discoveries, advance clinical care and train the next generation of health care professionals. Our robust research enterprise consistently ranks among the highest in the country as measured by peer-reviewed grant funding from the National Institutes of Health. We’re honored to be consistently considered among the nation’s best hospitals, including being nationally ranked in multiple medical specialties for treating the most complex conditions in adults and children by US News and World Report. Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt ranked as the No. 1 children’s hospital in the southeast in 2024. We support each other and encourage excellence among all who are part of our workforce. High-achieving employees stay at VUMC for professional growth, appreciation of benefits, and a sense of community and purpose. Join us in Making Health Care Personal.

Requirements

• Licensed Occupational Therapist (or eligible for Tennessee licensure)
• 1 year of acute care experience and strong interdisciplinary collaboration skills
• LIC-Occupational Therapy License - Licensure-Others
• Relevant Work Experience
• Experience Level : Less than 1 year
• Doctorate (Required)

Responsibilities

• Analyzes comprehensive information from formal and informal assessment that is pertinent to the patient's care and management to determine a rehabilitation treatment diagnosis.
• Collaborates with stakeholders in establishing the plan of care, coordinates and implements care delivery while anticipating patient care needs across the rehabilitation continuum.
• Applies appropriate, evidence-based interventions to ensure effective outcomes and re-evaluates performance to assess patient's progress towards goals.
• Employs strategies to promote successful return to home, community, and school/vocational environments.
• The responsibilities listed are a general overview of the position and additional duties may be assigned.
• Deliver evidence-based OT evaluations and interventions across multiple inpatient units
• Collaborate with interdisciplinary teams to create individualized care plans
• Educate patients and caregivers on adaptive strategies and functional independence
• Document outcomes per hospital and regulatory standards
• Participate in mentorship, quality improvement, and departmental initiatives

Benefits

• Medical, dental, vision, and retirement plans start immediately
• Career Advancement Ladder: Structured growth from OT Level 1 to Level 4
• Free Continuing Education: Department-hosted CE courses for all staff
• Extensive Orientation: 10–12 weeks of onboarding for success across all hospital areas
• Formal Mentorship Program: Led by our Mentorship Committee for new grads and new hires
• Collaborative Culture: Join committees shaping care and innovation
• Nationally Recognized Employer: Magnet-designated hospital known for excellence and patient-centered care

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level
• Education Level: Ph.D. or professional degree
• Number of Employees: 5,001-10,000 employees